No singing gondoliers here, but there are canals!
GIETHOORN
Giethoorn is a picturesque village in the east of the Netherlands, about an hour and a half from Amsterdam by highway (120 km). Of course, you can also get here by train or bus, but it takes longer – about two to two and a half hours.
It’s nicknamed “The Venice of the Netherlands” thanks to its network of canals. Basically, it’s the village without streets, where transport is done on water, with different types of boats.
Along the canals, there are incredibly beautiful houses! Some can only be reached by water, others by crossing small wooden bridges.
Giethoorn became internationally known after Dutch director Bert Haanstra (Oscar winner for a documentary short film) shot a comedy here in 1958. The movie is called Fanfare, and the action takes place in a fictional village, which in reality is Giethoorn itself.
I first saw it in pictures and it looked like a gem! So, I decided to see it in real life. I came here with my cousins from the Netherlands and their boys, on a cold spring day in April 2022, and I returned again with them in the spring of 2025. Good decision – the weather was gorgeous!!!
We parked on the edge of the village, where you can find several parking spots – some free, some paid.
I think this place is beautiful anytime. But when nature is in bloom and the sun is shining, it’s just perfect!
We came here for the canal ride, of course. It’s number 1 in the Top Attractions.
BOAT RIDE ON THE CANALS OF GIETHOORN
What can you glide on through the canals?
Locals use the “punter”, a small flat boat that moves forward by pushing a long pole into the bottom of the water (in my mind, it’s like a cousin of the gondola, but not nearly as fancy :)).
Kayaks or canoes are also options. But from what I’ve seen, most tourists choose between two types of boats:
Rondvaartboot – covered or semi-covered boats that can hold groups of up to 40 people. They are steered by a captain and offer guided tours.
Sloep Kragge – a small electric boat, also nicknamed the “whisper boat” because it’s silent. Since you glide right past people’s homes, it’s best not to mess up their lives with loud engines…
You don’t need a license for this boat. You just need to know how to handle a lever. Otherwise, your fellow passengers might sometimes push the boat off the banks with their hands when you bump into them 🙂
There are several routes you can take, depending on how much time you have and how much money you want to pull out of your pocket.
We paid €80 and rented a boat for 2 hours, for up to 5 people. We took the short route, which fits just about right: canals + exit to the lake full of swans + return through the canals.
Along the way, you’ll see all kinds of birds and animals, from geese and cows to guard dogs barking at you with conviction from the docks of private properties.
I look at each house, each one unique in its own way, though most share a common element: the thatched roof.
Their front gardens are full of shrubs, bushes, and flowers, each arranged according to inspiration (or budget…).
Some houses look like they’re straight out of a catalog. Maybe they’ve been spruced up for sale, since I’ve heard quite a few locals want to sell due to the village becoming far too touristy.
We even saw a few on our route. If you’ve got too much money tucked under your mattress, go ahead – pull out €1,175,000 for a 361 m² house with 5 bedrooms and a 15,000 m² plot!?!
Alright, fine, here’s a cheaper option: €995,000 (295 m² house, just 2 bedrooms, 407 m² land).
Among the dozens of houses in the village, we discovered one with a touching story:
During World War II, between 1943 and 1945, 6 Jews were hidden in this parsonage. The reverend of that time, his family, and other locals got involved, practically saving the lives of those 6 people.
The bridges too give the village a special charm! There are over 170 wooden bridges crossing the canals, connecting houses or small islands.
It feels like being inside a fairytale, because everything is so compact, forming a tiny universe where you just float through.
The village’s former mill has become an important landmark, since it sits at a canal intersection and, if you don’t take the right turn, you’ll end up lost way out in the boonies 🙂
WHAT TO DO IN GIETHOORN
After the boat tour, you can stroll along the village paths, cross some of the bridges (the ones that don’t actually lead straight into the locals’ bedrooms…), and admire people’s gardens and everything they’ve got around.
The village church stands out – you can’t miss it. Inside, creative activities are organized for anyone who wants to stop by for a while. This time, it is coloring.
You’ll also come across the Village Museum, though what caught my eye more were the locals at the entrance making kniepertjes – thin, crispy traditional waffles.
If you’re into stones, the village also has a collection of minerals and precious stones.
Along the canals you’ll find cafés, small souvenir shops and craft stores – not cheap at all – and restaurants where you can eat fresh fish, pancakes, cheeses, and even pizza.
If cycling is second nature to you, then rent a bike and ride not only through the village but also in the nearby Weerribben-Wieden National Park, which I’ve heard is cool (though I haven’t been myself).
In Giethoorn you’re far away from the chaos of big cities, BUT you should know you might also end up in a tourist crowd big enough to give you a headache…
I saw on the canals what it really means to just sit in the back of the boat in front of you, which is in the back of the boat in front of it, and so on – just a whole chain of boat backsides. You can only overtake very rarely – at a bend, or when a boat is stuck to the shore.
And I also saw the crowds on the village’s narrow streets, when everyone ended up here at the same time, trying to escape the… crowds of the big cities.
So the best time to come is in the morning, or in the off-season.
We were lucky – in April 2022, the weather wasn’t great, so the place wasn’t so crowded. And in May 2025, when the weather was gorgeous, we had the inspiration to leave early from Amsterdam, so we arrived just as the first boats were heading out on the canals. (On the way back, though, we saw the “traffic jam” on the water – the canal was literally packed with boats crammed one into another, moving at a snail’s pace!)
A 2-minute glimpse of this wonderful village:
I understand that in winter Giethoorn is very quiet, and if the canals freeze solid, locals and visitors skate on them. How cool is that!
If you want to stay a few days to clear your head or write your memoirs, there are accommodations in Giethoorn, some with canal views – guesthouses, B&Bs, small hotels, holiday homes, and even campsites on the edge of the village.
But I believe most people who come here, especially from Amsterdam, stay just a few hours, one day at most. That’s what we did, too.
Speaking of Amsterdam, we hurried back from Giethoorn so I wouldn’t miss the seminar about the sex industry and the Red Light District. Oh my, the things I found out! 🙂 I invite you to read about it here.
